Pride Month celebration gets bigger

Local

FROM a province-wide celebration to a proposed policy shift in Cebu City, this June’s Pride Month is marked by both large-scale community events and a push for a “right to care” framework recognizing same-sex partners in hospital settings.

Cebu’s Pride Month celebration is set to expand across the province, with the Cebu Provincial Government and the Cebu Pride Movement formalizing a partnership during a press conference at the Cebu Provincial Capitol.

Organizers laid out a month-long lineup of activities centered on diversity, equality, health awareness, and inclusion.

The 2026 celebration will extend beyond Cebu City, with activities coordinated across multiple local government units in Cebu.

At the center of the festivities is the “Cebu Grand Pride Parade” scheduled on June 27, with participants gathering at the Capitol before marching through Osmeña Boulevard, Jones Avenue, and Colon Street, and ending at Plaza Independencia.

Organizers are expecting about 15,000 to 20,000 participants, making it one of the largest Pride-related gatherings in the province. Governor Pamela Baricuatro and Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival are expected to join the march, described by organizers as a symbol of “a united Cebu under one rainbow flag.”

“It’s now called Cebu Grand Pride Parade because we want to invite everyone from different sectors and showcase that Cebu is inclusive,” said Provincial Youth Development Office focal person Mikee Empaces.

The month-long program begins on June 1 with the Pride Month Opening Salvo and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Summit 2026 at the Cebu Provincial Capitol Social Hall.

Organizers said the Capitol venue was expanded to accommodate a larger number of participants after previous events faced space limitations.

Cebu Pride Movement co-founder Ramon Matthew Basabe said the larger venue also helps address participation constraints linked to capacity and registration costs.

A series of activities is lined up throughout June, including the “Gugmahan” community gathering on June 6, “Run With Pride” on June 7 at Cebu IT Park, “Hook-Up” on June 13, The Big Pride Picnic on June 14, a film screening on June 21, and the Pasalamat and Prism Awards on June 30.

The Mandaue City Pride March is set for June 28, while the Queen of Cebu City pageant will be held on June 27.

Advocacy efforts will also include HIV awareness campaigns through initiatives such as the musical “Hook-Up” and programs under Mr. Gay Sugbo.

“Regardless of what color you are in the rainbow, you are part of it,"Emmanuel Dr. Christian Emmanuel Enriquez, president of Mr. Gay Sugbo said.

Alongside the province-wide Pride Month activities, Cebu City is also advancing a proposed executive order that would formalize a “right to care” policy for same-sex partners in hospitals and other health facilities.

The measure aims to recognize hospital visitation rights, allow caregiving access, and enable participation in medical decisions when a patient is incapacitated and no immediate family members are available.

Empaces said consultations and feedback from hospitals are being gathered and consolidated as part of the ongoing review of the proposal.

The draft policy also sets out possible forms of proof of partnership, including affidavits of cohabitation, barangay certifications, shared financial records, or written declarations from patients identifying their partners.

Earlier, Cebu City is also considering a policy that would establish a similar framework in hospitals and health facilities, allowing same-sex partners to be recognized in visitation and medical decision-making.

The proposal is anchored on the Magna Carta of Women and the Safe Spaces Act, and cites constitutional provisions affirming the right to health.

Councilor Michelle Cellona’s measure responds to situations involving LGBTQIA+ patients admitted without immediate relatives, where partners are often left without legal recognition in caregiving roles.

Once approved, it would be titled the “Right to Care and Hospital Visitation Ordinance for Same-Sex Partners of Cebu City,” affirming health care access as a constitutional right.(MyTVCebu)